A Salmon of a Time
Apart from signing an MOU with the Universidad Catolica de Santisisma Concepcion, YBhg Dato Sulaiman Yassin, Vice Chancellor of Universiti Malaysia Terengganu, accompanied by Datin Noor Rohani Mohd Noor (wife of VC) and Dr Aziz Deraman, Deputy VC took the opportunity to visit the Universidad Los de Lagos, the Center for Research and Development of Coastal Resources and Environments I-Sea (I-Mar) and AquaChile.
At AquaChile, the VC was briefed on the salmon industry in Chile from breeding to the marketing of the salmon. The VC visited the hatchery and breeding stations and the salmon processing plant of AquaChile in Puerto Montt.
AquaChile is a world-class Chilean company that covers the complete productive process of salmon, starting from the genetic development of the ovas to the product marketing in foreign markets.
AquaChile also exports tilapia which is farmed in Costa Rica to the US accounting for 25% of the market. AquaChile hopes to have some collaboration in the farming of tilapia with Malaysia.
Chile's rapidly growing farmed salmon and trout industry has boomed in recent years. Last year the industry earned some US$2.2 billion dollars, a staggering figure considering that in 1991 the country?s fish farms generated just US$159 million.
Salmon was first introduced from Norway into Chilean rivers in the late 1800s as a sport games. Today, Chile is the world?s second leading farmed fish producer, just behind Norway. Together the two countries produce some 90 percent of the world?s farmed salmon.
In Puerto Montt, Safcol (a Malaysian owned Chilean salmon canning company) also hosted the VC and delegation to dinner.
In Santiago, the VC gave a talk on the Malaysian Education system organised by the Chilean Ministry of Education.
The quality of water is important for salmon spawming which is sourced from the foothills of the mountains.
Special vessels to fertilise the salmon eggs.
The VC
Even boots need to be sanitised before entering the plant.
Packed, sealed and delivered.
The Huascar, a peruvian vessel captured by the Chilean Navy during the War of the Pacific.
The VC who is also an honorary Captain of the RMN signing the Vistor's Book
Presentation at I-Mar
Nelson Diaz, a former MTCP participant and now Director of International Department of Universidad Los de Lagos
Reserach vessel of I-Mar
Lunch below deck of the I-Mar reseach ship
Presentation at Universidad Los de Lagos
Dinner hosted by Encik Tee, General Manager of Safcol, a Malaysian salmon canning factory in Puerto Montt. Married to a Chilean with his two months old daughter.
One of several extinct volcanoes in Puerto Montt.
www.kln.gov.my/perwakilan/santiago